Time, CNN reinstate Fareed Zakaria after plagiarism investigations

Time magazine has finished reviewing Fareed Zakaria’s columns after he lifted a few lines from a New Yorker story. The magazine is “entirely satisfied that the language in question in his recent column was an unintentional error and an isolated incident.” The column will resume Sept. 7.

The statement from Time spokeswoman Ali Zelenko:

We have completed a thorough review of each of Fareed Zakaria’s columns for TIME, and we are entirely satisfied that the language in question in his recent column was an unintentional error and an isolated incident for which he has apologized. We look forward to having Fareed’s thoughtful and important voice back in the magazine with his next column in the issue that comes out on September 7.

CNN has also completed its review of Zakaria’s work and says he will return to his show, “GPS,” on Sunday, August 26. The statement reads:

CNN has completed its internal review of Fareed Zakaria’s work for CNN, including a look back at his Sunday programs, documentaries, and CNN.com blogs. The process was rigorous. We found nothing that merited continuing the suspension.

Zakaria has apologized for a journalistic lapse. CNN and Zakaria will work together to strengthen further the procedures for his show and blog.

Fareed Zakaria’s quality journalism, insightful mind and thoughtful voice meaningfully contribute to the dialogue on global and political issues.

FAREED ZAKARIA GPS CNN Aired August 26, 2012 – ON AIR APOLOGY THIS WEEK, during INTRO ”A final personal note. As some of you know, two weeks ago, I wrote a column in Time Magazine and neglected to quote a New Yorker essay by Jill Lepore that I drew closely from. I was not trying to pass the work off as my own. I prominently cited the book, “Gun Fight” by Adam Winkler that contained all the historical data that both Lepore and I wrote about it, but I absolutely should have quote or cited the New Yorker essay as well. It was a mistake, but an honest one and I apologized. Time and CNN conducted exhaustive investigations looking at over 50 pages of research for that column as well as years of my commentary and found nothing to merit further action. Time said it was entirely satisfied that this was an intentional and isolated error. For my part, I just want to say again how sorry I am and let’s get started.” THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=749911534 Anonymous

FAREED ZAKARIA GPS CNN Aired August 26, 2012 – ON AIR APOLOGY THIS WEEK, during INTRO ”A final personal note. As some of you know, two weeks ago, I wrote a column in Time Magazine and neglected to quote a New Yorker essay by Jill Lepore that I drew closely from. I was not trying to pass the work off as my own. I prominently cited the book, “Gun Fight” by Adam Winkler that contained all the historical data that both Lepore and I wrote about it, but I absolutely should have quote or cited the New Yorker essay as well. It was a mistake, but an honest one and I apologized. Time and CNN conducted exhaustive investigations looking at over 50 pages of research for that column as well as years of my commentary and found nothing to merit further action. Time said it was entirely satisfied that this was an intentional and isolated error. For my part, I just want to say again how sorry I am and let’s get started.” THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED

Anonymous

When you look at all the high-profile plagiarism instances over the last few months and years, whether it’s by one of the “boy geniuses” or a veteran journalist or author, you need to look at the context, too. It’s apparent that the amount of pressure for productivity and output has increased dramatically. Did this sort of thing take place 30 years ago? Without a doubt, but I do doubt that it was to this extent, and that it was this blantant. We may have better forensic tools to find this sort of thing now, but we also have increased economic and peer pressures precipitating it in the first place, as well. Not excusing it, but trying to explain it.

Like all these talking-head “journalists” trotting around spooling out comfort drivel for corporate gatherings at $75,000 a shot or thereabouts, doesn’t Zakaria have a team of ghostwriters cranking out his conventional-wisdom garbage for him? In that case, of course the darling didn’t plagiarize.

Anonymous

Where is the official statement from Poynter on its mishandling of the Zakaria story?

Anonymous

Washington Post corrects story that said Fareed Zakaria lifted quote
by Andrew Beaujon Published Aug. 15, 2012 9:51 am Updated Aug. 15, 2012 5:26 pm
ClaytonBurns•2 days ago−
–If Farhi got tripped up, maybe it was by Zakaria’s defense of lousy journalistic hygiene. He called Prestowitz’s charge “totally bogus” when Farhi spoke with him, but he also said the book is “is not an academic work where everything has to be acknowledged and footnoted.”

Andrew, There is little point in commenting unless you have worked through the evidence, including the physical text, the 2008 hardcover. There is no possibility that Farhi can document his defamatory charge. None. I have worked through the evidence.
Andrew Beaujon•2 days ago•parent
Hey Clayton, thanks so much for commenting. I absolutely agree: Farhi should have looked at the book. I’m sure he would tell you the same thing! I think if I’d called Zakaria and asked him about not citing Prestowitz, and he’d told me he didn’t need to cite quotes in the book, I might have made the same mistake. I’m glad The Post corrected it.
Staci D Kramer•2 days ago•parent
Andrew, I hope you wouldn’t even call on a claim like that without first checking the evidence. That kind of fact checking and background work should be the foundation for any reports of this kind.

Anonymous

if you are in the process of writing something, and you are reading some research material as you write about a given topic, it is difficult to think of a different way to say basically the same thing you just read. at least that’s my experience. if you end up writing something very close to what somebody else wrote, then somebody can charge you with “plagiarism” — IF they want to.
i once saw a tv interview in which robert caro was talking about a specific subject and he said, “i couldn’t write it any better than that [the way someone else had written something].” so he quoted the info verbatum and footnoted it. but you don’t footnote newspaper stories. MUCH of the information in a newspaper story or magazine essay comes from somewhere else, a clip on a given subject or some other research. much of the material does not originate with the writer who’s getting the byline. how much absolutely original thinking is there out there? was i guilty of plagiarism when i once lifted a memorable two-word phrase that i had read several years before?
i remember a columnist i worked with years ago who once wrote a very interesting and entertaining column about elvis presley’s col. tom parker. He got all the information from a book on parker, but he didn’t bother to mention the book. back then nobody would charge him with plagiarism. today somebody would.
this is a much more complicated (and subjective) topic than many are making it out to be. there’s much more gray than black and white. and it is why i believe virtually everybody who writes can be nailed for “plagiarism,” depending on how somebody in authority chooses to define it.
welcome back, fareed.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AT754LLIZ7FNNK34CFOAAP7OSY trigon400

Fareed is a loyal Zionist lapdog, that’s why he’s staying.

Anonymous

It was no capital offense, but it certainly was not unintentional. You don’t closely paraphrase paragraphs while sleepwalking.

Anonymous

Don’t TIME and CNN owe their customers an explanation of how this “unintentional plagiarism” happened? It’s really hard to imagine, so their assurances aren’t persuasive. Either they employ dishonest plagiarists or they can provide a credible explanation. Which is it to be?

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=749911534 Anonymous

Comments at the NYT article today are almost at 100 now and running 50 50 pro and con, it’s re Fareed Zakaria — ”He may have won his job back but he’s lost his credibility, forever” ….VS ….”Good to have him back. He’s one smart dude.” What’s YOUR Pov here, PoynterOrgers?

Shouldn’t it be: “No one has NOT commented yet”?
Reporters: Follow up on the fortunes of your stories with “past 24 hours” in Google Advanced Search.
The education system contributes to writing pathology.
Every journalism school in America should take a few fundamental steps in September:
1.You can’t be an excellent writer without understanding the structures of the language.
The COBUILD English Grammar is a great text because it allows us to grasp the expressive possibilities of English.
2.Smart professors of journalism should consider the value of an official corpus dictionary. I like the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. It is important to have the iTunes app.
Journalists just accept the weak textual practices in universities such as Harvard and Columbia.
The best new book I am aware of is “The Restored ‘Finnegans Wake.’” CJR should determine how many universities will have a sound teaching program for it in late 2012.
I suggest focusing on Book (or Part) I (of IV) (pages 3-169) as an introductory course, with extensive reading out loud.
When you look hard at what is going on in university, you find that the obsolescence is damaging journalism. Not only in writing, but also in comprehension.